To Be or Not to Be
by JamieWhite18
Summary: Edward leaves and doesn't return until a year later to find a brand new Bella. What could have caused this new change and why doesn't she appear in any of Alice's visions anymore? Follow them on their road to help bella or will they even get back together
1. The New and the Old

**Chapter 1**

It was about a year after Edward left. They were finally returning after Edward finally decided he couldn't live without Bella. They expected her truck to be at school but instead they found a motorcycle with her leaning against it. Once she saw them she frowned. They pulled up beside her. She was wearing all black with black nail polish and her middle finger had a vine tattoo on it.

"Hey Bella." Alice said though everyone was stunned by her appearance.

"It's not Bella anymore." She snapped.

They were all stung. "Who are you then?" Alice asked playing along but she was starting to become worried.

"None of your business." Bella said. She left her bike and went inside looking very angry.

"Bella…" Edward whispered clearly in pain.

"What have we done?" Emmet asked.

They made a quick call to Carlisle. "I'm sure it's fine." Carlisle assured them. "Humans go through phases like this all the time."

"You don't see her Carlisle." Alice said.

"We'll talk later…..we're late." Jasper said. Alice hung up. They went through their classes and nothing entirely interesting happened until lunch. The Cullen's sat at their table and they noticed Bella sat by herself. A guy came up to her and they took interest. He seemed to be trying to ask her out but Bella stood with a glare and the boy backed off in a rush. It was apparent Bella wasn't someone to mess with. When lunch was almost over she headed outside. They watched her and she seemed to notice because she turned her head just enough for them all to see her wink and then she was gone. They followed her catching up just in time to catch her before she left.

"Where are you going? Don't you have class?" Edward asked.

"I seem to remember someone telling me ditching was healthy……what was their name again? Hum, I can't seem to get their name……it's right there on the tip of my tongue……oh well if I can't remember who by now its obviously not important." Bella said. Edward winced. "Besides I got someplace to go."

"Where?" Alice asked.

"Excuse me?" Bella said glaring at her. Alice was taken back. "You lost the right to know where I go and what I do. You left and now there's a lesson you all must learn. You don't ever! Mess with me. Be careful because if you walk on broken glass you're going to get cut." Then she was on her motorcycle and was gone.

"That thing is like a death trap for Bella." Edward said. They went through the rest of the classes and were surprised to find that Bella was there in the parking lot waiting for someone. It was a boy that looked to be a very bad influence but he was younger and she kissed his forehead. She seemed to be asking him something important because when the boy shook his head no she looked really angry. They got close enough to hear.

"That good for nothing…." Bella started but she came to her senses with the boy being there and kept it clean. "I'll deal with them alright baby?" The boy nodded. "You want to go get something to eat?"

"I'd better not….my parents." The boy said. Bella looked angry.

"If you don't come with me you won't have a meal all day. Just get on. Let me deal with the sticks in the mud alright buddy?" The boy nodded and they got on. Bella was slower and safer with the boy on. She even had him wear a helmet.

"It's nice to see the softer side of Bella every now and then." Jasper said.


	2. Legends and stories

"Carlisle, what are we going to do?" Edward asked. "She won't let us get a real word in. It's like all she wants is to make us ask stupid questions instead of letting us tell her anything that's important."

Carlisle was thoughtful. "Well I'll ask around about her, but did you ever stop and think about what might be important to her now? By what you're telling me it sounds like she has a soft spot for that young boy why don't you find out the story behind that. Bella is still there, she's just hurt."

"What do you think Jasper?" Alice asked. Everyone looked surprised but waited to hear what he would say.

He answered slowly and carefully as if weighing his words or contemplating them before speaking. "She's running from something. I think the real question is: What is she running from?" he stopped for a split second before speaking once more this time more sure of his answer. "She's busy trying to bottle up her emotions and trying to out—run them that by the time they catch up she's going to have an emotional break down, the next question to ask is the most major one of all……who's going to be there when she finally breaks?"

"Why is that the all-important question?" Rosalie asked.

"Because whoever finds her when that happens is going to have a stronger grip on her then anyone else. She'll feel more inclined to listen to them then anyone else because they were there when she needed them. I don't think we need to press for her friendship right now, the main concern is having someone we trust there for her when she needs it and she won't go to anyone whose hurt her so that rules out Edward, Alice, and Emmet most." Jasper answered.

"Why me?" Alice asked. "And why Emmet?"

"You were her best friend and you left without saying so much as one goodbye or even hint that you were leaving. Emmet was like a big brother to her and he left and hurt her almost as much as Edward did……by the way Edward what really happened the night you left?" Jasper answered finishing with an accusing tone.

"Why?" Edward asked. "It's over and done with."

"You didn't tell us the truth…….you said she took it fine. You never told us you left her in the forest alone!" Jasper growled. "You didn't even have the decency to walk her back to her house!" Everyone looked at Edward.

"Is this true?" Esme asked.

Edward looked away from everyone. "Yes."

"No wonder she's so mad at us!" Alice practically yelled. "What did you tell her?"

"Nothing." Edward said.

"Edward," Jasper said. "You told her you never loved her…..how is that nothing?"

"How do you even know all of this?" Edward snapped.

"I take a class with one of Bella's old friends, after what you did I'm surprised she even kept the fact that we're vampires secret. Even after what you said she still defended us. She still defends us." Jasper said.

"What?" Alice said. "Defends us from whom?"

Jasper glared at Edward while he spoke. "Apparently three days after we left someone vandalized the hospital, some La Push kids…..they almost blew our secret……when Bella found out…….apparently we haven't seen Bella truly angry, Angela said it was really a sight to see. She said that the devil himself would wet himself with just the sight of the fury Bella held. She spent two days hunting down the culprits……they were hospitalized for two months with intensive care and they were shape shifters. Angela didn't know this of course but she said that when Bella had finished with them they should have been dead but they healed at a remarkable rate.

Two months earlier from today a kid at school commented on how nice it was that we left……I think the word he used to describe us was freaks, no one knows what really happened that day except the kid and he hasn't spoken since. There is one kid that swears he saw something impossible but he also says if he says more then that that Bella will cut out his tongue. He laughed at that but grew serious when he said and I quote 'but she will kill me if I tell'.

Last month once again La Push kids vandalized the hospital this time it said 'Stay away leeches no one wants you here' Bella snapped. Called in a couple of kids she seemed to know very well, they cleaned up the mess and they've been patrolling the perimeter of the hospital since. Bella visited La Push, the two responsible were found and she made them run five hundred laps around La Push boarder."

"That doesn't sound too bad." Carlisle commented.

"On their hands." Jasper said. Carlisle winced.

"Those kids still there?" Carlisle asked.

"I said they have been since the second incident." He paused. "She's actually become a legend."

"Why do you say that?" Esme asked.

Jasper actually smiled. "Because when Angela finished both Lauren and her finished by saying 'and they say Bella even patrols the Cullen house every night around midnight warding off anyone who might try to do the house harm.'"

Carlisle chuckled. "That does sound like a legend. Well we'll just have to see about that rumor now won't we?"


	3. Rainstorms

In Forks there were always two things you could count on, one thing was weird beings deciding to live there *cough* vampires *cough* and the second thing was rain and lots of it. That night it poured. It was always rainy but never was it as bad as the week the Cullens returned.

The rain poured and never ceased even the Cullens stayed inside yet the interesting thing was that Bella didn't seem to notice or care. That night the Cullens had kept an eye out for Bella and an ear for her bike but as the night progressed and the storm grew worse they doubted she would be there. In a flash of lightning, just as the last Cullen was about to give up, revealed a soaking wet Bella on the edge of the trees but she was gone as soon as Carlisle had seen her but she had been there. Night after night Carlisle looked out the window into the storm and every night Bella would appear in the yard. When they tried to ask her what she was doing there, she would either counter with another question or say something sarcastic, never answering them in any way.

It was about the fifth night since Carlisle had first seen her and he expected it to go like the other nights had. After the first night they had attempted to talk to her and convince her to come inside but the first time they tried she had vanished before they could say anything the second and third tries she had told them (well more asked or pled) to stay away from her. The fifth time they had stared at each other but when one of the Cullens stepped forward Bella stepped back.

They waited for Bella to appear and she did this time rather early as it was only nine o'clock. She was dripping wet and she looked as if she hadn't slept for days. She walked up to the porch but just when they thought she would finally come in she sat down and leaned back against the outside of the house, she was in a sense curled up but her eyes were closed while her head was tilted back. Carlisle went out and moved to pick her up but her eyes snapped open.

"Carlisle, please, stay away." She said.

Carlisle sighed. "Then why are you coming here? Bella you're going to get sick. If you don't go inside you'll catch hypothermia."

"Carlisle let me do my job." She said. "That's all I'm here for."

"It's not you're job to watch us or to defend us." Rosalie said. She had been more interested in being nice to Bella since she found out Bella had been defending them even after what they did to her.

"No of course not." Bella muttered. "It never is."

"What does that mean?" Rosalie asked.

"Nothing. Look, my job isn't something you could understand unless I would show you, so please just leave me alone. You had no trouble leaving me be a year ago."

"Why did you come so close? You never go this close." Carlisle said.

"I needed to get out of the rain." She said. "Enemies love to attack when you're weak from the rain." She got up backed away into the forest and vanished again.


	4. Burns in so many ways

**A/N: Look for my poll and vote! I've decided to let the readers help write the book. By the way my (T) button is on the frits so sometimes it won't be there. I'll try to make sure it works but I might miss one here and there so sorry.**

Bella was furious with herself. She had burned herself while cooking and she wasn't sure just how bad it was so there she was in her new car (she had gotten it by trading her bike with one of her old friends) driving to the hospital to see the only doctor she trusted, even if she hated him. Don't get her wrong she didn't blame Carlisle as much as Edward for leaving but it still hurt and he had left. She did still have an immense sense of respect for both Esme and Carlisle she just wasn't going to trust hem blindly anymore or even need to take that chance if she had anything to say about it.

_Thinking of the Cullen,_ She thought as she entered the hospital. _There's the devil now._ Indeed he was. He was standing outside the emergency doors looking quite anxious. _Hum, that's unusual/. I guess I have to look into it since that is par of my job description._ It was only then did she realize she had called Carlisle a devil, she couldn't think of anyone less like a devil. _I'll have to watch my thoughts carefully._

She walked up to Carlisle who looked even more anxious. "What's wrong? See a ghost?" she teased.

"No, I was just wondering what you were doing here." He answered leading the way to his office.

"How did you know I would be here?" she asked.

"Alice's visions concerning me suddenly disappeared." He answered sitting down in his office. Bella took a look around. It looked rather old as if it came from a page in a history book over three hundred years ago. A closer inspection revealed remodeling attempts that didn't seem to take hold. She sat down in an old looking leather chair.

"I suppose my deciding to come here was rather sudden though I did not plan on burning myself." She agreed.

"You burned yourself?" Carlisle said sounding…..well what he sounded wasn't clear to Bella.

_Is that worry or interest?_ She asked herself.

"Could I take a look?" he asked.

"Would I have come here if I didn't want a doctor to check it?" She asked rather coldly. It was unintentional but she couldn't help but feel a little hurt that Carlisle wanted to pay more attention to her injuries then to her.

"I could have someone else look at it if you want." He said thinking that was the problem and she hadn't intended to go to him at all.

"No, I came for you to look at it." She said now making sure her hurt and irritation did not show in her voice.

Carlisle seemed surprised but proceeded to check her burn. "It looks minor, nothing to worry about but I imagine it hurts."

"What?" Bella snapped.

"The burn." Carlisle said carefully measuring her reaction.

"Right." She said distractedly.

"What did you think I was talking about?" he asked.

"What? Oh, nothing." She said. He stopped what he had been doing and looked right at Bella.

"Bella, I'm sorry. I'm sorry we left and I'm sorry it took us this long to come back." Carlisle said. "And I think you know exactly how sorry we are because if you didn't then you wouldn't have defended us. Bella, just tell me exactly what we did to make you this angry at us. I know you, Bella; you usually don't hold a grudge this long."

Bella was silent for a moment. "Because you condemned my life to work as something I never wanted to be and you still try to be my friend. You say that guarding you isn't my job. Then tell the La Push kids that it isn't their job to try and sneak onto your land and try to destroy you all."

"What? What La Push kids?" Carlisle asked confused.

"Don't tell me you don't remember about the treaty you created with the La Push wolves." Bella said exasperated. "This generation has a lot more pack members and they aren't to keen to listen to the treaty."

"The treaty?" Carlisle asked. "Is that what this is all about?"

"Not just the treaty. The people who were forgotten when the treaty was formed." Bella snapped. "The people whose design was to work for vampires and destroy not only those mangy _pups_ but to defy anyone who threatened their existence. Those people were forgotten and now they serve only because their blood binds them and they live only out of spite. They hate the very creatures they serve because vampires think that they are better and superior and they don't need those people. If it was their choice they would have left the vampires to die centuries ago." She got up and left leaving Carlisle standing there looking stunned and confused.


	5. Breaking the rules

Bella cursed at herself. She had broken one of the most basic rules since she had found out about her job: don't tell your charges anything about your job unless they already know what you are and the basics. One of the boys she had stationed at the hospital came to the window and got in the car where she was sitting.

He was a tall boy and quite muscular. His hair was a light bronze that looked like it had only recently been dyed a light blonde but rather sloppily. His eyes were a nice gentle blue that held concern for only one person: Bella.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"I broke rule number one." Bella answered looking away from his eyes to the steering wheel.

"Bella, Our boss is going to be angry, or at least…….wait I don't even understand who we really even work for." The boy said.

"Alex, listen." Bella said slowly. "As long as no vampires claim authority over us you and your brothers work for me and I work for Maximum."

"And you still don't know his real name?" Alex asked jokingly.

"Of course I know his real name…..he told me never to wear it out." Bella mumbled.

"Come on Izzy-Bells why do you even work for that guy, he treats you like last weeks trash." Alex said. "Quit working for him and be your own boss. Then you can order us around all you want without having to worry about being punished for our mistakes."

"Speaking of being punished…." Bella said. "Tonight, nine o'clock, Cullen house. He doesn't even know they're back yet so you know what that means." Alex nodded and started to get out but stopped. He turned back to her and kissed her forcefully.

"I still love you." Alex said. "For every beat of my heart I need another for the one you steal away with your beauty." He got out and closed the door as Bella rolled down the window.

"Nice try. Very romantic, but not very good for your point in the book. Keep it handy though." She said smiling then she drove away.

Alex muttered the line to himself. "Yeah, needs more work." He walked away whistling Jingle Bells to himself.

Carlisle spent the time that was not devoted to the hospital, in his office that day reading. After two hours he still had not found his answer. An hour after that he had found mentions of servants to vampires but nothing naming exactly what they were. It seemed that the authors of those books felt as if the servants were just that and were not worthy or smart enough to even consider mentioning properly.

One of the passages contained this: _The vampire wars are some of the greatest wars ever even conceived. Some of the wars however were not even fought by the great and powerful vampires but merely their servants _that_ were nothing more then dumb animals. In fact they were so inferior that t times they were referred to as merely slaves. While the servants did most of the fighting it is in fact those who controlled the animals that deserve the recognition._

It was after four hours of searching that he finally found something of use. _The creatures that are sometimes referred to as servants for vampires were in fact __**superior**__ to vampires in the fact that though they aged once they hit maturity they stopped aging completely. While vampires can only sustain themselves on blood these beings could go months or even years without eating and never grow weaker and eat not only human food but hunt for fresh kill in various forms. Their heart beats and they pass for humans much more easily than vampires so it was common for them to lure humans to their masters to serve as a meal. These creatures were known as _Ζωικά ανθρώπινη υπηρέτης _in Greek or __Anifeiliaid gwas dynol__ which means 'Animal-human servant.' Many vampires called them __Servo which means servant in Italian._

_It is unknown what their abilities really were and just how powerful they were. It was common belief that only they knew the full extent of their powers and only they know the secret of how to kill each other. Many speculate on what they can do but the only vampire to get even close to that secret was said to have transformed her servant into a vampire creating the first of the Volturi. No one else is aware of his existence and he keeps well into the shadows never forgetting his love which he destroyed when he came out of his transformation. Many say if you even see him it's because you're about to die. _

_While not many things are known about the Servo, a few facts are widely known. They always take the form of a large cat, which kind of cat varies on not only the person but the mood and situation as well. Their emotions do not control if they change or not but they are more inclined to lose control and go into a killing frenzy in human form if their tempers are pushed to far or they are new to the life-style. They have very short attention spans and usually have little to no education as a result. They get so distracted that at times they will even forget what form they are in and will sometimes confuse them. One Servo that was used for this book got distracted half-way through the interview and started playing with a ball of yarn as though it was the most entertaining thing in the world. _

_Servos do not like to be bored and if they are they get very bad tempered. For this article we experimented with trying to teach a Servo simple math, not five minuets in the Servo complained of boredom and bit the teacher. When presented with an IQ test in the form of a game without the Servo's knowledge they scored in the genius rankings. Thus the study proved that Servo's almost never refuse a game and never back down when they feel challenged. _


	6. La Push

Once Carlisle had found out about the truth of Bella he wanted to find her instantly and ask her to explain but there was a more pressing matter to deal with. The only reason her status had been brought to light was because of the treaty that was coming close to a collapse. He made plans that very second to go down to the border but was stopped by Alice who had seen her vision disappear but took it to mean he was meeting Bella.

"Why do you get to see Bella?" Edward asked for Alice who was about to open her mouth to ask the same question.

"I'm not going to go see Bella."

"Then why is your future disappearing?" Alice asked. Carlisle sighed and explained about the La Push treaty and after that long explanation he had to explain about Bella's slip up. After he was done everyone looked anxious.

"You were planning on going there alone?" Edward asked. Carlisle nodded he was more distracted about what might happen if what Bella said was true and they were inclined to attack. He was deep in thought while everyone discussed the best way to see this. After some arguing it was agreed that Edward, Jasper and Emmet would accompany Carlisle to the border but remain silent unless their ability was needed or a fight issued.

Carlisle was drawn back into the present when Emmet yelled in his ear. "Alright, let's go." He said and with that they took off to the border.

Once they arrived they didn't have to wait long for the wolves to appear and Jacob Black appeared in human form to talk to them. "What are you doing here leech!" He growled as he shook.

"We are here to insure that the treaty is still in tact." Carlisle said.

"It is if only because of those stupid house cats!" Jake yelled. Carlisle looked interested.

"House cats you say?" he asked politely. "Why would they want to help us?"

"How should I know Blood sucker?" Jake sneered.

"It was just a question." Edward snapped.

Jake seemed to be losing control as they spoke and soon he was over the border trying to kill them. Just before he reached Carlisle, who was the closest three large cats jumped in between Carlisle and Jake. One was a black panther with chocolate brown eyes, another was a white tiger with gentle blue eyes, and the last was a lion with onyx black eyes. They were all growling at Jake but the panther took it one step further and let out a fierce roar. Jake howled and growled while the other wolves remained on their side of the border growling.

For a moment it looked like a fight would start but then the panther growled at the other two large cats and they leapt into the trees. The panther rubbed itself on Carlisle's legs as if it was a common house cat. It purred loudly and it seemed to irritate the wolves to no end. The panther seemed to be counting on that because then it nuzzled Carlisle's hand and that's when Jake leapt forward to attack which the panther easily knocked to the side. The panther bit Jake's tail and all the wolves took off in a cloud of dust. All the large cats seemed pleased with the outcome and the other two jumped back down and started to make their way away from the Cullen boys.

"Wait!" Edward said. The cats stopped.

"Do any of you know where Bella is?" Carlisle asked. The cats all exchanged a look and looked resigned. Two of them changed back into boys. One was Alex the other was a rather tall boy but lanky yet strong, he had onyx black eyes and red-ish brown hair like the mane of a lion.

"We might know where she is. It depends on what you're willing to do for us for that information." The other boy snapped.

"Relax Onyx, we must keep our temper or we will be punished worse then usual." Alex snapped at him.

"Who are you two?" Jasper asked.

"I'm Alex, and this hot head over here is Onyx." Alex said moving forward and shaking Jasper's hand. "We're the ones who patrol the hospital. Izzy-Bells knew there was going to be trouble here sent us ahead." Technically what Alex was saying was true.

"Do you know where she is?" Edward asked.

"Onyx…..I'll leave you to handle this…..I'm getting a little hungry." Alex said turning to walk in the direction of the panther that was looking impatient.

"You have to eat when you are the slightest bit uncomfortable?" Onyx growled. Alex looked back with an innocent smirk.

"What can I say? I get hungry easily." He said and the panther and he took off. Onyx looked rather bored as he jumped up into a tree and sat down.

"So, what's that information worth to you?" Onyx asked.

"It's worth releasing you from vampire services." Carlisle said. Onyx looked at him stunned.

"You know!" he yelled eventually. "I'll kill her! Bella!" Bella appeared upside down on another tree branch looking almost as bored but she had a smirk on her face.

"What Onyx?" she asked.

"First, stop goofing off….one of these days you'll fall and give me a heart attack." Onyx snapped. Bella faked falling and everyone tense but then she sat down on the top of the branch and chuckled. "Second they found out."

Bella looked unsurprised. "So? I fail to see the problem."

"You fail to see the problem!" Onyx yelled. Bella sat there calmly but looked at him interestedly.

"You know I wonder if your head would explode if your face turned any redder." She said after a moment's pause. Onyx looked furious.

"Yeah it's all fun and games until someone loses their life!" Onyx yelled.

"Yeah, then it's hilarious because you couldn't kill me if you tried." Bella said. "Now would you mind telling me what the problem is?"

"You don't see any problem with this?" Onyx hissed.

"No." Bella said. "They are intelligent I'll give them that. They would have figured it out sooner or later." Onyx relaxed slightly.

"You didn't tell them?"

"Of course not!" Bella said jumping down. "What's the fun in that?" Onyx jumped down as well.

"But what about Boss?" he asked.

"He'll just have to deal. We are no longer under his reign we could kill him tonight." Bella said casually.

"I like the sound of that."

"I love the sound of that."

"You're right. Not like,"

"Love." They said together.

"Tonight?" Onyx asked.

"Nine o'clock. Pitcher's tower, Canada. He wants to talk with us on why we're completely unable to do a single job correctly." Bella said.

"Could I just bite his head off?"

"He'd just come back to life…..I'll make a list of ways to kill a person……I know we'll make him listen to polka music!"

"Man we'll all die from that!"

"I'll bring ear plugs."

"Good……so I'll head off then?"

"See ya at eight. Inform Alex of the time change." Bella said. Onyx gave a sharp nod and then darted off in lion form.

"Bella," Edward started but she gave him a sharp look that shut him up completely.

"Listen Edward because I won't repeat myself. Stay away from the border. What if they hadn't shown up in time? You were all outnumbered! Could you for once make my job a little easier? And what gave you all the idea of letting Onyx know you knew about him and the others? You're so lucky I covered for you guys."

"Bella that was kind of my fault." Carlisle said. Bella looked surprised then smirked.

"And here I thought you were the sensible one. Well just goes to show you never really know a person." Bella said. "Now if you don't mind…" she turned to walk away but Carlisle caught her arm.

"Come back to the house with us." He said. Bella looked into his pleading eyes and reluctantly nodded.


	7. Here Kitty

The walk back to the house was uneventful and silent as Bella refused to say a word. Once they were at the border of the yard she stopped Carlisle and motioned for the others to continue. Edward hesitated a moment before going back inside the house.

Once they were alone Bella whirled around and glared at Carlisle. "How much do you know?" she growled. Carlisle recognized it immediately.

"I know you are a Severo. I know that you have abilities that surpass vampires. I know that your kind are underappreciated. I know you were the black panther." He said calmly. Bella calmed slightly as well.

"You know what I am." Then she looked down. "Then you know you command my group....as well as myself."

"I was not aware of that fact." Carlisle said truthfully.

"That's how it works. The vampire who finds out our secret is the one that commands us. However it does not extend to the rest of the clan. If we are ordered to protect them, we will but we don't take their orders and our priority is always the leader.....the one who discovered us. You met the rest of my pride. I'm the leader of that. They follow my orders and by extention yours....only yours."

"Are there any rules to that?" Carlisle asked.

"Yes, if the order causes direct or indirect harm to the leader then we are not permited to obey. If the order is to kill one of our pride we are allowed to hold a confrince if the majority votes to kill then we will if not he will be thrown from the pride. We are not allowed to interefere with true love. We don't take orders involving to change our type of cat. I'm a panther Onyx is a lion and Alex is the tiger that is the forms we chose for now……we could change it of course but for now we like our forms the way they are. You have no athority to change our forms."

"That it?" Carlisle asked.

"Yes."

"Alright then." Carlisle sighed. He didn't like the fact that he was basically taking away not only her free will but Onyx's and Alex's as well.

"Now I came back to the house with you…..I'm going to take my leave." Bella said.

"But Bella……can't you stay? I know you have plans later but could you stay here? What about Charlie?"

"Charlie and I haven't spoken for a while. I moved out after I figured out what I was. No one but my pride knows where my house is." Bella said.

"Please?" Bella signed and transformed into the panther and curled up by the door. She put her head on her front paws and her tail over her nose. "That's not what I meant…..and you just showed everyone in the house what you are."

_There was no point for the secret anymore you already know. And next time you should be more specific when requesting something._ Bella thought in Carlisle's head.

"I can hear you." Carlisle said amazed.

_You'll be able to hear the others and relay your thoughts to them when they're in their cat form as well. You don't have to talk out loud when I'm like this. The connection will grow stronger with time. Eventually you'll be able to hear our thoughts human or cat._

"Could you come inside?" Carlisle asked.

_No. But I'll do this so it doesn't look as weird should anyone unexpected show up._ She shrank until she was a curled up black kitten but her brown eyes remained the same. Carlisle sighed and went inside. He was pelted with questions. All of which he answered and then Edward stormed out of the house. _He's angry…..you want me to follow him?_

_No. He'll calm down._ Carlisle thought back with a sigh. After a few more questions Carlisle slipped away outside and sat next to Bella who was half-asleep. She looked up at him then stood and laid next to him before curling up once more and going back to sleep. He absentmindedly started petting her and she sleepily leaned into it before she got up and lay down in his lap. Suddenly he heard a low rumbling sound and he looked down to find Bella purring in her sleep.

He chuckled and picked her up. He swiftly carried her inside and sat down on the couch with her. Alice and Esme smiled when they saw her and started petting her as well. After half an hour or so She woke up and stretched. She jumped up and curled up on his shoulder.

"What are you doing?" Carlisle asked when he left her tongue on his neck.

_You're dirty. Go take a shower._ Bella thought at him as she jumped off his shoulder and onto the couch. She looked quite satisfied with herself when she saw Carlisle get up with a sigh and announce that he was going to take a shower.

"Bella are you going to stay in that form?" he asked before he left the room. Bella nodded. "Why?"

_Because I am quite comfortable in this form thank you. I haven't really explored in this form before and everything looks bigger. I'm sure I'll get lost in this house._

Carlisle chuckled. "Well if you do end up getting lost then just……..meow for someone alright? You're right…..if you stay that size you probably will get lost." He left the room and Bella jumped off the couch. The two women watched her with amusement as she explored the room. Alice decided to close the door so that she wouldn't get lost outside the room just yet.

They watched as Bella found an old empty spool and got distracted by it. She attacked the thing and when she turned around and Alice decided to push it her way she jumped on it and waited for it to move as if she thought it had attacked her by itself. Alice rolled her eyes.

"I rolled it at you Bella. It's not going to move." Alice said after five minuets of watching Bella stare intently at it. Bella blinked and looked at Alice. She gave a cat like smile and jumped onto her lap. Bella licked Alice's fingers and nuzzled her way under her hand as to force her to pet her. "You really only have so much control over your cat instincts don't you." Bella nodded but looked content.

Esme picked Bella off of Alice who pouted and started petting her. Bella purred and looked at Esme she put her front paws on Esme's chest and licked her nose. Then she curled up on Esme's lap. Esme smiled at her show of affection for her.

"You forgive us yet Bella?" Alice asked. Bella meowed. "Then why won't you change back?"

"Because she's more comfortable being a cat the human." Edward snapped walking in. "She likes being a cat while in cat form. She doesn't like being human unless she is human." Bella stood and jumped off Esme's lap. She walked in front of Edward and sat down looking at him intently. "Don't look at me like that." Edward growled. Bella winced and rolled over letting out a pathetic mew. Edward sighed and gave in as he picked her up. "You know you make a really cute kitten." He muttered. Bella made a noise and they realized she was laughing.

He went to put her down but she sank her claws into his shirt. "I'm going upstairs Bella. I doubt you want to go with me after what I said to you." She licked his face. "I take it I'm forgiven?" She nipped his face. "Alright so you forgive me but not enough that you'd take me back yet?" She meowed. "Fine I'll take it." He went upstairs as passed Carlisle who was smiling at the sight of Edward carrying a kitten up to his room.

Edward placed her on his bed. "I'd stay there. You don't want to get lost." Bella ignored him however as her cat instincts took hold and she jumped off the bed and started exploring. "Bella I wouldn't do that." He said as she pushed on his laundry basket full of clothes. It toppled over covering her in clothes. He laughed and the others came in to see what was making him do that. He motioned at the knocked over laundry basket and they didn't understand for a moment until Bella finally climbed above the clothes. Then they laughed as well. Bella didn't seemed bothered by it however like she would have been when she was human instead she just tried to get Edward to pick her up again. Once he did so she cuddled into his grasp and yawned which issued a round of 'aw's.

Edward handed her to Carlisle who motioned for her. They followed Alice into the sitting room where they saw a nice fancy cat bed waiting. Carlisle placed her on the bed but she just jumped back into his arms every time. "Come on Bella. It's soft." He said. He put her down again and this time she curled up with a glare at him.

_I'm not a child Carlisle. I don't need_ *yawn* _naps._

"Yes you do." Edward said hearing the thought through Carlisle. "You aren't human and cats sleep a lot. Plus you're a kitten."

Bella stuck her tongue out at him. _Traitor._ However her eyes started to close and she fell asleep. She woke up about an hour later noticing she was hungry. She walked over to the door noticing it was closed. She put her paws on it trying to open it. Then she sat back down and meowed forlornly. Suddenly she felt someone picking her up and cuddling with her. She rubbed back with her head.

"Bella." Rose said. "That tickles. You know you're really soft……like a big puff ball." Bella gently bit her finger. "Hey don't be mad at me. I suppose you're hungry huh? The family decided that after the whole laundry incident that you should stay in here unless someone's with you."

Bella meowed. _Carlisle I'm going to kill you!_

_I know. But it's for your safety._

Bella hissed and Rose put her down and opened the door. Bella darted out of the room and out the front door. She turned into a panther and a lion and a tiger met her. They ran off. Carlisle sighed knowing that all he had to do was order her to come back and she would but he didn't want to take away her will. So he wouldn't. They returned later that night only there was a leopard with them. Bella changed back into a human and the others followed and to their surprise it was the same mysterious boy she had been talking to in the school parking lot.

"Carlisle, our new addition……."

**AN: Aren't I terrible.**


	8. New members and baths

"Meet our newest member, Devin." Bella introduced. Carlisle moved forward to shake his hand but Devin ignored him. "Devin is still sour that as soon as he joined us he has a leader. The time I told him what he was an what to expect when he changed he asked I said not at that time but now we do and he's a little angry but it'll pass. We were all very angry the first couple months."

Devin frowned but the other two smiled. "It took you a year." Alex said. Bella stuck her tongue out at them.

"Nightwalker can I go to your house now?" Devin asked in almost a whine.

Bella sighed. "Go on all of you." They gave a sharp nod and transformed. They shot into the forest. "He can be such a pain."

"So you're going home to a house full of boys?" Edward growled.

"No. I'm on night watch. So I stay here all night while they sleep at my place. We alternate shifts so we do get sleep once in a while plus with all of you back we can pull back our forces so we're not so spread thin."

"So the boys won't be patrolling the hospital anymore?" Jasper asked. Bella shook her head.

"We're pulling back so that we just cover as far as the school. Should anything happen one of us will be there in a second. Alex will patrol the hospital once a week. What day he chooses will be up to him."

"Why Alex?" Carlisle asked. Bella smiled.

"He looks at it as an opportunity to learn. He wanted to be a Doctor before he first changed but now he just doesn't have the attention span to go to classes and everything. He's still interested but it'll take him several years to get one semester so he decided to learn the interesting way that way he keeps his attention. On patrol he would watch through the windows and sneak into room in cat form whenever he could. Once he saved a patients life by accidentally knocking over some of the utensils alerting the nurses and doctors to a leak in the IV. We gave him a week of free patrol for that. I patrolled the school which is why I still went. Then at nights I would come here. Onyx would run back and forth along the border after the attacks so no one would cross. But we still need to sleep unlike vampires."

"He wanted to be a Doctor?" Carlisle said. He felt guilty now. Because of vampires they couldn't work as things they wanted to.

"Don't feel guilty." Bella said smiling. "The reason he's ok with you being the leader is because he say now you can teach him and he won't have to worry about killing any of his classmates or teachers." Carlisle looked shocked.

"He wants me to teach him? I thought you said your kind hated vampires."

"Because they didn't acknowledge that we existed. We were used and tossed aside. We know you won't do that. At most you'll dismiss us when you feel too guilty." Bella said gently. Then she went to her favorite spot on the porch and transformed into the panther.

They shook their heads and headed back inside. Carlisle stopped half-way through the door. "Come in Bella." Bella stood, transformed into the kitten and walked in after Carlisle. "You hungry?"

This was answered by a growl from her stomach. "We'll take that as a yes." Alice said picked her up. Bella frowned.

_What is with everyone picking me up?_

"Bella, you took the form of a kitten." Edward answered for Carlisle since he had heard as well. "And well…….you look very cute and soft. We're going to end up picking you up."

Bella stuck her tongue out at him and made a swipe but that was met with more aw's. She had to admit she didn't look tough as a kitten. Rose took her from Alice. "She obviously doesn't like to be picked up without warning." She snapped putting Bella back down. Bella thanked her by rubbing her side on Rose then followed her nose to the kitchen. A plate was put on the floor in front of her by Esme. Bella looked up at her then cocked her head. She sniffed the food to find it was cooked chicken and she ate it quickly. By the time she was done she was too full and too tired to move. She meowed at her dilemma and felt some cold hands pick her up.

Before she knew it she was being placed on someone's bed. She opened her eyes to find herself not looking at Esme as she had thought but Rosalie. She meowed her thanks and fell asleep.

Two hours later she woke up to find Rosalie looking at her and smiling. "You know you sleep a lot." She said. Bella gave a cat grin and jumped off the bed. "Carlisle's going to be going to work soon." At this Bella dashed down the stairs to meet Carlisle at the door and jump up and sink her claws into his shirt.

Carlisle looked down in surprise. "Bella? I thought you were sleeping and you got holes in my shirt now." Bella released him and landed neatly on her paws. She sat down and meowed at him looking at him with sad eyes. He sighed and quickly got changed. Bella was sitting there in her panther form growling as she stood and started pacing in front of the door. "Bella….I don't know why you're acting like this but I need to go to work."

At this Bella seem to lose what little rational thought she had left. She tackled him to the ground and started licking his face as if begging him not to go. "I don't think she wants you to go to work dear." Esme said.

"What gave you that idea?" Edward asked. "Relax Bella, he'll be back." Bella looked at Edward briefly then at Carlisle as if asking confirmation.

"Of course I'll be back. My family is here I wouldn't just leave them behind." Carlisle said at this Bella got off him but still looked at him anxiously. "I promise." Bella relaxed slightly. Carlisle cautiously stepped towards the door and when Bella didn't move to stop him he left. She exited as well sitting right in front of the place he always parked. She let out a mournful roar.

"Geez Bella. He's just going to work." Emmet said. She whirled around and growled at him. She was much more intimidating in this form.

"She doesn't like it when he's out of her sight Emmet." Jasper said. "It makes her anxious. She knows that if something were to happen at this point there would be no way to get there on time. Carlisle's on his own as she doesn't like it. She would have been much happier if she had been allowed to go with."

Bella whined. The leopard appeared and nuzzled her. She whirled around and snapped at him. Devin leapt away. Once Bella's attention was once again on the parking spot Devin tried again. She snapped at him once more seeming annoyed. Emmet laughed at Devin's attempts to get Bella's attention and Bella's attempts to get rid of Devin. Eventually Bella got frustrated and bit Devin on his muzzle. Devin yelped and after that he stopped trying to get her attention.

At noon Devin tried again only Bella's patience was spent and she attacked him fiercely. By the end he was a bloody mess cowering on the ground. What surprised the Cullens there was that they didn't smell the blood even after Devin changed back and was still bleeding. They had no thought to drink the blood yet it didn't repel them either.

Bella held no pity for the boy nor did she seem sorry at all. Within five minuets the boy was healed anyway although covered in angry red scratches. Devin left Bella to sulk on her own until Carlisle finally pulled up after his shift. Bella was by his side in a second. She smelled him and then deemed him satisfactory but she claimed his hair needed washing. He rolled his eyes as Edward laughed.

"What?" Alice asked.

"Bella said Carlisle needs to wash his hair." Edward said chuckling and this everyone had an amused look as if trying to hold back laughter themselves.

"Yeah when do you take a bath?" Carlisle snapped at Bella. She cocked her head. They made their way into the house and Bella transformed once more into the cute loveable kitten. Alice smiled and went to go run a bath. After she came back down and picked Bella up.

"Oh I have to see this." Edward said.

"What?" Emmet asked.

"Alice is going to try and give Bella a bath." Edward said spelling out the word bath so Bella didn't understand. They had learned that while she kept most of her human thoughts her cat mind couldn't make out spelling so they now used it when they didn't want Bella to know something.

Everyone ran upstairs to watch the scene unfold. As soon as Alice let one of Bella's paws hit the water she went completely limp. She was just completely relaxed that she went completely limp. Alice had to hold her up above the water to make sure she didn't drown. After Bella was rinsed Alice let Bella go and they were met with an amusing sight of Bella playing with the water. Alice had gone out earlier the same day and picked up things she said was in her vision. Those things seemed to be bath toys because one after another she filled the extremely large tub with bath toys. Bella played with them all pouncing on one or the other.

Esme had started video taping as soon as Bella had gone limp. Bella got a mischievous look on her face and both Carlisle and Edward laughed. Alice saw her vision but was too late to prevent Bella from deliberately splashing her with water then look at her innocently. Then she went back to playing with her new toys. She took a submarine in her mouth and shook it violently. After about ten minuets she looked at Alice expectantly. Alice smirked. "Why me?"

"Cause you put her in there." Edward said. Alice rolled her eyes and wrapped Bella in a towel. At first Bella wasn't seen in the large towel but then she wiggled through it. Alice put her down and Bella started fighting with the towel that was oppressing her. It was quite the picture when her head was finally visible as one of her ears was covered with the towel. She sneezed. She shook her head and finally got out but apparently she felt the towel needed to learn a lesson about trying to swallow her because she took it in her teeth and shook. Then she let it go. She sat in front of Carlisle as if commanding him to pick her up. "Bella…..I think you should turn back into your human form……your human mind is slipping."

Bella tilted her head and Edward and Carlisle sighed. "Too late." Carlisle said. He picked Bella up and she nuzzled him. "You know you're just too cute to be a threat to anyone." He said. Bella looked at him in a satisfied manner and she began to purr. "Hum……..you know she spends more time as a kitten then as a panther or human."

"What are you thinking Carlisle?" Jasper asked.

"He's thinking about christening her kitten form with a different name."


	9. Love is a hard thing

"Christening her what?" Emmet asked.

"I haven't decided." Carlisle said. He caught bits and flashes of emotions and pictures of her thoughts as she drifted off to sleep. He carried her downstairs and came back up without her. Everyone went off on their own. Edward went right to his room.

**E3POV**

Edward was furious. If he had just paid more attention to Bella and done research like Carlisle had he would have been the one to find out her secret and then it would be them getting closer and closer together again but Carlisle had found that answer first and it was annoying him to no end.

At first he had been sort of ok with it but that was only after she had went to him to be picked up. Apparently that was only because she had wanted to assure him that she forgave him. Now that that was done she wouldn't feel obligated to do much more then liking him like a friend. He still loved her. Well he loved her in a sense that her blood called to him and he was sure it always would because he was still tempted somewhat even though the scent was almost completely gone.

He stopped in his pacing. Did he love her for no other reason then because her blood called to him? Was that really love? After all she couldn't change the scent of her blood but she could change her mind and apparently that was exactly what she did. But then he felt a sense of deep satisfaction. Carlisle and Esme were still married. Carlisle loved Esme he wouldn't leave her for Bella.

His Bella would remain his forever. Oh yes he had paid a lot of attention when Carlisle described what she was and what he thought she could do. She could live forever just like a vampire but without the blood lust. She would be his one way or another he was sure of it.

**3POV**

Jasper had warned Carlisle about the emotions coming from Edward's room and apparently Bella had sensed it as well for she woke up and looked at Carlisle questionably. Carlisle shrugged. She got up stretched and turned into her human form which surprised everyone since she seemed determined to stay in cat form whenever she was inside.

"What's wrong with Edward?" She asked.

"No idea." Jasper said. Alice smiled then frowned.

"I would stay away from Edward, Bella. His future involving you doesn't look very happy in fact it looks rather dangerous for you." Bella smirked.

"I can't be killed as long as Carlisle is alive. So he can forget about killing me." She said.

"No……he's really desperate for you to want him." Alice said. Bella laughed.

"Alice, we don't love anybody…….well we used to……but it doesn't ever end up well. We always end up losing control and killing everyone who so much as looks at our mate."

"Ouch." Emmet said.

"Explain about that?" Carlisle asked.

"Well it's more common with the males. They become obsessive with protecting their mate. They assume that anyone who looks at their mate is trying to kill them. They start thinking the worse when they leave their sight……."

"That they die?" Esme asked.

"No; that they're being held somewhere being forced to listen to polka music. Let me tell you there are things worse then death and the worst one is being held against your will and having to listen to polka music." Bella said seriously. "I mean if we got mates then they could get hurt or worse they could be sued. Granted that could happen anyway. Our rational thought tends to disappear when it comes to our mates. There are a few who can keep their minds but most don't. They don't want to."

Edward stormed downstairs. "Why do you hate me?" he asked with a growl. Bella changed back into a panther when she sensed a threat. She stepped in front of Carlisle but that seemed to get Edward even angrier and Bella's self-preservation instincts kicked in. She turned into the kitten and hid behind Carlisle at that point.

"My hero." Carlisle muttered. "What happened to 'our leader comes first'?"

Bella meowed looking apologetic. _We have a right to save our own skin. Besides if he really wants to fight I'll be here to give moral support._

"Gee thanks." Carlisle said sarcastically. A growl ripped through Edward's throat. He hadn't hunted for a while which meant his temper was even shorter then usual. "Now Edward, calm down."

"Mine." Edward growled. Bella transformed into the panther once more and slashed Edward across the face only her claws sank into his marble skin and his skin didn't close back up. She growled. "Bella, why are you fighting me? Why not fight Carlisle? He's the leader keeping you tied to your forms." If this was supposed to help Bella love Edward more then he was sorely mistaken because a fierce growl shot through Bella's throat and she swiped him again. This time she slashed his shirt and his chest. After ten minuets of standing there looking at each other Edward's wounds finally closed up and Bella backed down turning her back on him and returning to Carlisle's side.

"Why do you choose him over me? He has Esme. He doesn't need you around. He won't keep you around. He'll toss you aside once the problem with the La Push wolves is gone. Vampires have done that in the past to your kind. Why wouldn't Carlisle do it too?" Edward snapped. Bella winced but stayed where she was. She looked at Carlisle as if asking him if it was true.

"Of course it isn't true Bella." Carlisle said. "It was a coincidence that it happened like this. Even if we don't need you around you'd still be around because I'm not just going to tell you I'm done using you. Bella I don't like being your leader because it takes away your free will. I don't like to think that all I'll ever be doing to you is using you. It's wrong and I don't like it." Bella looked at Edward with a look on her face that said 'if you lie to me again I'll kill you'.

"But why stay?" Edward asked. Bella wavered for only a second but it was enough. "See. Even you don't really want to stay. You have no reason to beside the fact that you're tied to Carlisle." Bella whined. She pressed herself against Carlisle seeking reassurance. Edward calmed no doubt because of Jasper. "I need to go out. I'll be back. Need to hunt." He went out and Bella relaxed causing her form to turn into the kitten again.

**AN: Some people will not like how this story ends and even I will be angry with myself at this but to avoid telling why most or some people will be angry with me I'll tell you that there will be an alternate ending to this story once it's all finished picking up from this chapter. One part of me wants Edward and Bella to get back together and the other wants Carlisle and her to get together so even though I won't tell which one I'm doing here the alternate ending will be posted soon after the ending of the book. And I'm thinking of a sequel! **


	10. Name

**AN: Ok I've been deleting old Chapters so sorry if your inbox is going crazy. I can understand about only author notes as chapters because it annoys me too. So I've gotten rid of them. YAY! Anyway thanks for the awesome reviews you all make my day when I wake up and see a new review. I love you guys so enough with the anticipation next chapter! **

"So what are you naming her kitten form?" Jasper asked looking at Bella sleeping on Carlisle's chest. She had been too worried or scared to sleep otherwise.

"I've decided on a few but she needs to decide." Carlisle answered. Bella rolled over and opened her eyes. She stood, stretched and sat back down looking at him questionably. "I decided that it would be too weird if someone came and we had a kitten named Bella while the human one is missing." Bella seemed to understand because she nudged him forward. "I have several names picked out just tell me which ones you like or if you like any others." Bella nodded. "Ok there's: Chisisi, Felina, Isoba, Melanie, Lilura, Medeia, Sable, Ivy, and Linnet."

_Hum, I like Ivy and Linnet……..Melanie sounds nice too._

"Pick one." Carlisle said.

Bella tilted her head to the side. _Ivy or Melanie you choose._

"How about Ivy Melanie Cullen?" Carlisle asked.

_I like the sound of that._ Bella said purring her contentment.

Alice smiled and said she needed to go shopping. Bella looked confused but let it go; Esme was cooking which meant she would be getting fed soon. Bella had a meal of pork and then she lay back down. Alice came in holding a shopping bag.

"Alice what's in there?" Carlisle asked suspiciously. "You're not dressing Bella up no matter what form she's in."

Alice frowned. "I have my limits. I don't dress animals." Bella gave a satisfied grin. "However since you plan on bringing her places in cat form she needs a collar." Everyone froze waiting for Bella's reaction. Bella just started licking her paw as if Alice wasn't talking to her. Then she stopped when she felt everyone looking at her.

_What?_ She asked.

"Bella…..if you want to leave the property in cat form you need to wear a collar." Carlisle said carefully as if waiting for her to explode.

_And?_ She asked not seeing the problem. _My kind has worn collars before to blend in with our leaders. We're used to it. The only problem is finding a collar that won't break when I shift into other forms._ She thought this all calmly as if she was discussing a new outfit.

"It doesn't bother you?" Carlisle asked.

_Carlisle, you already own me. What difference does a collar make then to prove that to others who will see me in my cat form?_

"I guess not a lot." Carlisle admitted.

"So she's ok?" Alice asked. Carlisle nodded. Alice brightened until Carlisle mention how the collar had to be able to withstand her transforming into other forms without strangling her. "Really Carlisle? You think I didn't already think of that?" She pulled out several collars some with bells some without. "Pick one Bella."

_Nothing with bells._ Carlisle relayed this information and Alice put the ones with bells away. Bella then turned her attention to the collars before her. _Nothing bright and flashy._ Alice put away the brightly colored ones. Slowly Bella worked her way through the collars until there were only three to choose from. She pawed a silver one with a simple circle for a tag with her new cat name and address should she get taken from Carlisle and lost. Bella protested at the fact of being lost but eventually agreed that maybe it wouldn't be smart to act like anything other then a normal kitten in front of other people.

"Alright, so your new name is Ivy Melanie Cullen." Alice said in a satisfied tone as if she shouldn't have taken that long to become a Cullen. She handed Carlisle the collar since the last time Alice had been around her neck Bella had made a swipe at her, she had missed of course but the point was made. Carlisle put the collar on so that it fit snugly without choking her. Then he picked her up and put her in front of a mirror. Bella sat there and looked at her reflection. After a while though her mind started to wander and she moved into a position to try and pounce on her own reflection.

"Ivy." Carlisle said. Bella stopped and grinned innocently at him. She walked back over to him and jumped into his waiting arms. "Somehow I know you'll be getting into a lot of trouble tonight." He groaned.

_Trouble follows me everywhere Carlisle._

"I know." He muttered. At around seven he started getting ready for a dinner party. It was a weird dinner as the only ones invited were doctors and their familiars. Pets apparently weren't allowed unless you considered them your familiar. To Carlisle he couldn't really tell the difference between and familiar and a pet…..well at is until he looked up the difference. After that he defiantly said that Ivy was his familiar because she was in a sense an extension of himself. He did things for her because he knew they would make both of them happy and she did things that made both of them happy. Sometimes her mind wandered but the principal was there.

At seven thirty they made their way to the car and Carlisle opened the door for her and she jumped into the passenger seat. This was going to be some night.


	11. Some night indeed

_Some night indeed_. Thought Carlisle as they parked and saw many pets and doctors walking into a nice ball room.

Bella meowed in response taking in the room. Everything was huge to her not to mention brown. There were ice sculptures with the figures taking the shapes of pets. Dogs and cats ran around the room barking and hissing at each other. She sank her claws into Carlisle's hand when he attempted to put her down.

"Come on Ivy, stop being such a baby." Carlisle said. Bella glared at him but didn't let go.

_I'd rather be a baby then to be put down on that floor and be chased by a stupid dog. If I do that then you'll leave my sight and I won't be able to help you if anything were to go wrong._ Bella thought at him.

"This is a dinner party nothing is going to go wrong." Carlisle said. Bella stiffened.

_Then why is there a La Push mutt here?_ She snapped. Carlisle sighed and picked her back up well he stood while keeping his hold on her.

Many doctors and nurses came up to him commenting on his kitten and saying how cute Ivy was. Bella seemed annoyed a little but let all the comments go. "Thank you." Carlisle said to one of the Doctors who congratulated him on getting a pet.

_Tell them you also have a familiar black panther. That way if anything goes wrong no one will be scared._ Bella said.

_We never came up with a name for your panther form._

_My panther name is Nightwalker._

Carlisle sighed. _Fine, for your peace of mind._ "I also have a Black Panther. This one here is more in the training stage." Bella let out a soft growl only heard by Carlisle.

The other Doctor seemed interested. "You keep a panther as a familiar? Are there laws against that?"

"No, I have a permit for one." Carlisle said. "She's quite the find. I named her Nightwalker."

"But does she even listen to you? I heard panthers can be quite stubborn and strong willed."

"She listens when she knows it's important and she does a very good job of protecting my home." Bella purred causing Carlisle to chuckle lightly. _Don't let it go to your head._

_Of course not._

"Well at least there's that." The Doctor allowed. He said his goodbye and left to talk with some others.

_By the end of tonight I'm going to have a headache. Everyone seems to love you and want to pet you._

_Sorry Carlisle, but you know how cute goes……I'd much rather be in my panther form right now._ Carlisle smiled and headed outside.

_Change shape now then._

Bella leapt from his arms which now felt empty and transformed instead into a big black panther. They went back inside and though now people were intrigued they gave the two a wide birth. This seemed to please Bella as they all sat down to eat. Bella laid down at Carlisle's feet though she could have eaten. She didn't want any risks to be taken and she had already alerted the group to stay on guard.

_Are you alright Ivy?_

_Hum? Oh yeah. Fine. Just a little distracted._

_I know I can feel your worry coming though the link. Relax everything will be fine._

_For both our sakes I hope you're right._

They were almost through with the party but Carlisle made an excuse that Ivy and Nightwalker needed some sleep and they didn't like to be out for long so they started to leave. They were almost to the car when Bella growled and attacked a big black wolf just in time to stop it from attacking Carlisle.

Bella was on the offensive now. She bit into the wolf's neck and he howled and shook, trying to get her to release but Bella remained firm. Finally the wolf fell to the ground in exhaustion. Bella released the wolf and sat by the car her message clear. Carlisle took one look at the wolf and shook his head. He supposed he should be happy she didn't decide to eat him. She leapt into the car transforming back into a kitten halfway and curled up.

He picked her up as she slept when they reached the house. He carried her inside as he began to think about how Bella never wanted to spend any time inside the house in her human form and the little time she did spend was only because she had to then she changed right back. It was like she wasn't comfortable there or she didn't really want to be inside.

After going over what happened that night with everyone he put her on her cat bed and went to go think about why she didn't want to stay inside in her human form some more.

**An: I know it's short but I have a bit of writer's block.**


	12. Cliff Diving

"Ivy!" Carlisle said. Bella looked up from her bed; she had been contemplating leaving the house for a little while since she didn't seem to be needed; besides she was getting frazzled by constantly being in cat form.

_Yes Carlisle?_

"I want to talk to you, your human self." Carlisle said. Bella shifted uncomfortably.

_I don't want to Carlisle; can't you just talk to me like this?_

Carlisle crouched down so he was closer to her. "Ivy, Bella I want to talk to you. If we have to leave the house to do so then we will, but I want to talk to the real you not your cat form."

Bella sighed and stood. _Fine._ She led the way out of the house but didn't transform until they were a good way away from the house. "What?" she asked.

"Why don't you like being in the house I your human form?" Carlisle asked. She stopped looking at him in favor of looking at everything else around them.

"I just don't." Bella said.

"But why?"

"Because I'm not needed there Carlisle, I'm not needed there in either form which is why I went only at night to begin with. Why should I be somewhere I'm not needed...?" Bella said, "Or wanted." She whispered. It was clear she never meant to say it out loud or for Carlisle to ever hear. She had gone to great lengths to shield that one thought from him only to accidentally say it out loud.

Carlisle frowned. "You think we don't want you there?" Bella frowned and took a quick glance at him before looking at the ground.

"No, I know you don't want me there." Bella said. "I'm intruding, I get it. If you didn't want me there then you shouldn't have tried to keep me there." She turned into the panther and ran off. Carlisle followed at a distance wanting to give her room to cool off but not by any means going to give up speaking about what he just heard.

He finally caught up to her in her human form on top of some mountain quite a distance from the house in fact he thought they might have left the state. She was sitting on a rock looking at the sunset. "Bella, you can't believe that we don't want you there." He said.

"Yes I do! I know you don't want me there! I got the message; I know you only keep me there because you feel guilty about what we are! We all know, and here's some news for you we don't like being what we are! Not once has anyone ever tried to understand how we might feel about our own wills being taken away!" Bella yelled. "Nothing is ours! Even our thoughts are openly displayed. We own nothing. We have nothing that's hidden from our _masters_." The last word was said both mentally and out loud. "We are nothing."

"Bella…." Carlisle said his frozen heart breaking. He tried to pull her to him to hug her, to try and make something inside her feel like it wasn't all for nothing and that she meant something to a lot of people but she evaded him.

"I'm done being a tool." Bella said taking a step back. Carlisle saw where she was headed and tried to coax her away from the ledge.

"Bella don't please." He said pleadingly, taking a step forward to pull her away. He could hear the water below now.

"I'm through Carlisle." Bella said taking yet another step backward.

"Bella don't do it." Carlisle said, commanding now but she did not obey like expected in fact she stepped back and fell off the cliff.

Vampire speed he jumped after her and wrapped his body around her protecting her as they fell. He was now under her cradling her so when they hit the water he would hit first and she would be completely unharmed. They landed with a big splash and he resurfaced quickly. Pulling her to shore he was very gentle yet fast. She was shivering and her eyes were closed before she started hissing in pain clutching her chest.

"Bella come on." Carlisle said. "What's wrong?"

"Disobeyed…..punishment." she choked out. Eventually she stopped and relaxed as she faded in and out of consciousness.

"Why did you do that Bella?" Carlisle demanded. "Why did you mean by it?"

"Why did you save me?" she asked back.

"Answer me Bella." Carlisle growled.

"Why do you care?"

"Because I don't want you to die! You hurt me when you did that. It hurt me to think that you wanted to die that much that you would jump with me right there." Carlisle said.

"I jumped because that was supposed to be the way you could get rid of me. It's obvious none of you want me around and I was giving that to you. You can't even take my gift you must hate me that much."

"Bella that wasn't a gift!" Carlisle said. "We do want you around. We love having you around. Everyone loves you. They love watching you and seeing you. We want you around. Why don't you see that?" It was that moment that Carlisle learned how to cry again as the venom in his eyes leaked out and ran down his face. Bella looked at him in confusion.

"Why would you want me around? You don't need me." Bella said.

"We need you to brighten our days Bella. You have made our family happier then it's ever been." Carlisle said. "I can guarantee that when everyone finds out about this they won't be happy with you. They don't want you to die just as much as I don't."

Bella shook her head but Carlisle ignored her and picked her up. Bella thought for a minute about protesting and running back herself but decided against it. Instead she curled up against him in a childish position and drifted off to sleep. Carlisle chuckled as she fell asleep with her arms around his neck and her head on his shoulder. He supposed that even powerful beings needed a childish moment especially if they never had a real childhood to begin with.


	13. Return

When they returned the rest of the pride was pacing around the house looking anxious and growling at everyone who stepped outside the door. Devin was curled up by the door, Alex was running around the house so that a track began forming and Onyx was weaving inside and out of the trees taking in every scent available.

When they saw Carlisle with Bella they relaxed slightly before going back to work. _What's wrong?_ Carlisle thought to the pride.

_Pups are getting bold now that you know. We got word that they're going to attack tonight._ Onyx thought to him.

_Did you inform my family?_

_Should I have?_

_It would have been nice, not to mention proper._

_News flash Carlisle, we aren't polite and we couldn't care less about being proper. If you wanted us to inform your family then you should have asked._

Carlisle sighed and shook his head but headed inside anyway. Why did he have a feeling that everything was going to hang on this fight?

_**AN: Sorry it's so short but it seemed like a good place to stop besides my next chapter is going to be really long. Don't kill me.**_


	14. The Fight

Cat Talk

_Thoughts_

"Human talking"

**Thought talking**

**Thought talking and cat talk**

Waiting. That's all there was. Carlisle and the rest of the Cullens had been argued into not fighting by everyone in Bella's pride and now they waited anxiously for the fight to begin.

Edward was upstairs in his room pacing, trying to figure out a loophole in their promise. Emmet was complaining about how they wouldn't get to fight. Rosalie was glaring at her husband but was also shooting slightly worried looks out the window where Bella could be seen in her panther form pacing. Esme was watching all the big cats converse unaware of what they were saying but sure that it couldn't be good. Jasper was trying his best to calm everyone, both inside the house and outside. Alice was franticly trying to get past the entire block in the future and see an outcome of the battle but was finding it hopeless to try. Finally Carlisle was standing on the porch a few feet behind Bella and mentally trying to get her to go inside or at the very least let them fight too but was finding it just as useful as trying to persuade a house to walk somewhere else.

The pride, however, was actually pretty calm. Onyx had been sent ahead to try and give them a heads up on where the enemy was and how soon they would arrive. Alex was making sure that no one left the porch at most. Devin was getting impatient. He was growing tired of waiting. He wanted to fight and he wanted it now.

Bella glanced at Devin before saying sharply Devin calm down before I say you can't fight at all. You're letting your emotions get the better of you and they'll punish you for it. Remember show them no mercy because as long as we are cats and they are dogs they will show us none. Am I understood?

I understand, but I'm not happy about it. Devin replied.

Got it. Onyx and Alex answered.

**Bella, Onyx, Alex, Devin, please reconsider. You don't have to fight alone. We are more then willing to fight with you.** Carlisle tried once more.

**Carlisle, this is our place, stop trying to deny what we are. As much as we would love to do so it is not within our power to stop being what we are. It's over.** Bella answered solemnly.

Come on Bella lighten up. You know there is one way for us to stop being what we are. Onyx cut in.

Yes, and we do not have the time. Bella snapped. **The discussion is over.**

Onyx and Alex knew a dismissal when they heard one so they let the matter be. Carlisle wanted to push the matter forward but figured that the moment wasn't right for that kind of talk.

A moment later back at the house everyone heard Onyx's roar. Bella was instantly in front of Carlisle which turned out to be good because as soon as she was in place a large russet wolf was on top of her. She threw him off then glanced at Carlisle who was standing there with a completely stunned look on his face. She contemplated biting him to make him move and go inside where it was safe but she didn't have a chance. As soon as the thought entered her mind the wolf was on top of her once more.

The others were having similar problems. As soon as they freed themselves of one wolf he would either be right back up to fight or replaced by another wolf. They were outnumbered.

Carlisle suddenly found his mind again only to be told to go inside however, as he observed what was happening he just couldn't do it. Bella was a formidable opponent, she was taking on three wolves at once and seemed to have the position of control for the moment but he could tell that she was slowly being worn down. Onyx too seemed to be giving two wolves a hard time but he had multiple wounds and he was bleeding severely even though he was healing quickly.

Alex and Devin were both taking two opponents but it was clear that they did not hold the winning side of the battle. Carlisle could tell Bella was trying to hurry up and finish her own opponents in order to go to Alex and Devin's aid and Onyx too was trying to help the pair but every time he made a move to help in their fight he would get a nasty injury. Suddenly Carlisle knew that the battle was not in their favor and still all Bella was doing was repeating that she didn't want him to interfere in the fight.

Edward was beside Carlisle in a second. "The fight isn't going well." He observed as Bella was thrown into a tree and they heard a slight whimper as she struggled to get back up again. She got up just in time to defend an attack but they could tell she was injured pretty badly.

"She still doesn't want me to help." Carlisle said in a strained voice.

"Since when do you have to follow her orders? I thought she had to listen to you." Edward replied.

"That is how it works but I have a feeling I'll just get in the way." Carlisle said.

"But just standing here isn't going to help them." Edward said. He sighed. "Carlisle, do you love Bella?"

Carlisle seemed surprised by the question. "Of course, she's part of the family."

"No, do you love her? Are you in love with her?" Edward asked.

"Edward, you are aware that Esme and I are no longer married but we didn't get a divorce because I love someone else. We just grew apart. I don't love Bella like that." Carlisle answered.

"Are you sure?" Edward asked pressing the issue.

"What do you want to hear from me Edward? That I'm in love with her?" Carlisle demanded. "For the last time Edward, I don't love her like that."

"Yes you do, because she's captivating. If you really watch her, she entrancing. You just don't want to admit it." Edward announced.

"I don't know what you're talking about Edward." Carlisle said stiffly.


	15. Fight part 2

Cat Talk

_Thoughts_

"Human talking"

**Thought talking**

**Thought talking and cat talk**

A big russet wolf broke away from the fight and charged towards Carlisle and Edward. Bella was too busy to do anything and so was everyone else. Had it been fresh into the fight they could have done it pretty easily but they were outnumbered and now very injured. They healed quickly but not that quickly.

Bella knew exactly what the russet wolf was doing and she was not happy. She finally managed to break away from her fight with the two other wolves but she knew that she would probably be signing her death warrant. Jake wasn't interested in Carlisle and Edward unless Bella and her pride were out of the way. Bella was heading into a trap and she knew it too, but that didn't stop her.

She leapt out of the way of a set of teeth from a big black wolf and leapt onto the head of a chocolate colored one. Using that momentum she sailed over the heads of the wolves and her pride and right onto the back of the russet wolf. Quickly she sank her teeth into his neck.

Unfortunately she missed the major vein and now he was trying every way possible to shake her off. However she refused to relinquish her hold. Eventually the black wolf and chocolate wolf bit her back legs and though she whimpered she didn't release. The two wolves ripped her from Jake's neck and threw her against the house.

She struggled to get to her feet. She got to her feet but trembled and almost fell once more. It was a struggle just to remain standing with her eyes open. The three wolves seeing the opening charged towards her closely followed by the others.

Now that Devin, Onyx, and Alex weren't fighting directly they too raced over towards Bella. As they were faster they were able to fend off the attack while Bella recovered. The pride had more endurance and now the battle was turning in their favor. Once Bella had regained a little bit of strength they began pushing the wolves back. Bella delivered a death bite to Jake's throat and gave it a little shake before releasing the dead body.

Once the other wolves realized that their Alpha was dead they turned tail and ran but not before making it clear that they would return both for revenge and to finish what they had come to do in the first place.

Exhausted, the pride collapsed to the ground breathing heavily. After a few moments, when it became clear that the fight was really and truly over for the moment the pride started licking their wounds while the Cullens came out of the house.

They approached the pride hesitantly to be sure they wouldn't be attacked but stopped ten feet away from Bella who was the closest when she growled at them. Even though she knew they wouldn't hurt her it still went against her instincts to let someone near her while injured.

Amazingly Bella wasn't the most injured and she could barely stand. It had taken a lot out of her just to growl. Onyx was the worst. He was in shreds and by all accounts he should be dead but he was still breathing, for now. Alex had enjoyed the fight at first as had Devin but they had both paid the price of inexperience. They had permanent scars along their faces down that wrapped around and ended at the center of their back.

They had been caught by the claws of the wolves they had been fighting while they were messing around. They hadn't taken the fight seriously at first, too amped up by adrenaline and the fact that they didn't get a challenge very often. Bella would speak to them later about their folly.

Bella's black fur was matted down and sickly looking as it was covered in blood, mostly hers. She had many gashes in her legs and in her neck. A cut from a nail across her face that was, luckily, shallow enough not to scar.

Change back. She announced. Their injuries were extensive but if they stayed in the form that they received them in then they would be dead.

They changed back into their human forms starting with Bella. They all looked a lot better in human form then they had in their cat forms. Onyx looked like he was more half dead than barely alive now.

"Onyx," Bella said as she got to her feet. Alex and Devin, though their backs were injured they too got to their feet and proceeded to follow Bella towards Onyx. Together the three of them got Onyx to his feet but he wasn't going to live much longer unless someone intervened. "Carlisle?" She asked looking at him.

"Bring him up to my study I'll look at him there and see what I can do." Carlisle whispered in response to her unspoken question.


	16. Aftermath

Cat Talk

_Thoughts_

"Human talking"

**Thought talking**

**Thought talking and cat talk**

The three of them carried Onyx into the house and into Carlisle's study. The Cullens wanted to follow but when Carlisle shook his head at them they decided to remain downstairs. Carlisle slipped into the study after the group and began looking him over. The others got the hint and left the room. Bella was the last to leave and stopped in the middle of the doorway.

"You can fix him right?" she asked.

"I don't know." Carlisle replied softly as he got his medical supplies out. "Most of these wounds need stitches but he's healing so fast that they won't do any real good except be uncomfortable while going in. If I can just stop the bleeding then he won't be in any danger. He's healing at a remarkable rate but the wounds that are still there are bleeding him dry. If I don't stop the bleeding then he'll die completely whole, without a single injury but with no blood in his body."

"Why not just wrap up the injuries?" Bella asked. "It'll hold back the blood enough to clot and heal over and then he won't need stitches."

"That would be ideal but I don't think I have enough bandages with me."

"I know you'll find a way."

"I hope I do. After he's somewhat stable I want to look over the rest of you."

"We'll keep that in mind." Bella replied. She hesitated a moment. "Alex and Devin are going to my house. There are clean clothes there for them there. They want to shower and change before returning." She paused again. "I'll be downstairs the entire time. I'm not leaving just yet."

Carlisle was beginning to wrap up Onyx's torso after finishing up his arms. "If the others are getting cleaned up you should go too."

"It's my responsibility to stay with him not theirs." She replied a little sharply. "I'm fine."

"You're almost as bad as Onyx. Don't say you're fine." Carlisle snapped.

"Is that an order?" Bella hissed, eyes narrowed.

"In a minute it will be." Carlisle replied sparring a moment to look at her seriously before going back to wrapping up Onyx's leg.

"Fine." Bella said. She turned on her heel and went downstairs.

Alex and Devin looked to her for a second and when she gave a sharp nod they left for her home. Bella stood in the window; her eyes followed the pair until she couldn't see them anymore.

"Why don't you sit down, you have to be tired." Esme said gently.

"I'm just fine where I am." Bella answered only turning her head to look at Esme then returning her gaze to the window. Truth was she was afraid that if she sat down she would be in too much pain to get back up.

"I heard that Alex and Devin were going to clean up….you're welcome to clean up here." Esme tried.

"Maybe later." Bella replied. She knew that the only reason Alex and Devin were taking a shower was because their wounds had already closed. If she took a shower she would most likely scream from the pain. "It isn't the best time."

"Would you like something to eat?" Esme pressed.

"We would like that." Bella answered in order to appease Esme. She was hungry and she knew that the others would be hungry too but none of them would even think about eating without knowing Onyx's fate.

**He's stable. He should be just fine.** Carlisle sent her way. Bella nodded in appreciation even though she knew that he was still on the stairs and couldn't see her.

He came up behind her. "Why don't you come upstairs so I can look over your injuries?"

"They'll be fine after they are cleaned out." Bella answered in a roundabout way.

"Please Bella." She frowned but he revised before she could say anything. "Let me clean them out then."

"No."

"It's the least I can do. Please Bella, don't make me push harder. I'm not asking for a whole lot, just to allow me to clean the wounds. That's all. I promise."

"You promise? I'm not entirely sure I believe you Carlisle. Your family promised a lot of things to me before and you are no exception."

Carlisle sighed but his face hardened. "That's it. I've put up with enough. Get upstairs now!"

"No!"

"I'm not going to tell you again."

"You don't have to. I already know what you said. That doesn't change what I am and am not going to do."

"Why are you so opposed to me just cleaning the wounds?" Carlisle asked in a softer tone.

"Yeah, you should let Carlisle clean them out at least Bell." Emmet interjected, serious for the first time in his life.

Bella looked at everyone's face and knew she was outnumbered and would not win this fight. She knew when to pick and choose her battles so it was with forced grace that she conceded and followed Carlisle up the steps.


	17. A cleaning and a Nap

**A.N.: OK! Great news! I graduated yesterday June 7th. For any of you who don't know what that really means it means this: I have all the time in the world for a while to do nothing but write for my stories which means more updates and more often! Yay! **

**Sorry for the long wait but juggling my many courses (English, history, math, anatomy & physiology, creative writing, mythology, drivers Ed, graduation project, and another subject that I can't think of at the moment cause I had to take eight on top of the grad project) and writing were just too much to handle and still get good grades but now I'm back and, after a little recovery time, better than ever. But to celebrate my graduating, enjoy the following chapter.**

The reason Bella had not wanted Carlisle to clean out her wounds became apparent as soon as he asked her to show him her injuries.

She was covered in them.

She had actually been much worse than Onyx but had said nothing. Why she was worse off than Onyx and still conscience and able to function was beyond Carlisle and for a while he contemplated asking her but after some time decided that it wasn't the best time and let the matter drop for now. However, he wasn't going to let go of the fact that she had refused treatment with her injuries as they were.

"Bella." Carlisle said in a tense voice as she cleaned to wounds on her back that seemed to heal almost as soon as he had finished cleaning them.

She didn't need any more reproach from him to know why he was angry or to know that she was most likely in big trouble. "Not now please." She requested tiredly. He must have known just how tired she really was because he let the matter drop reluctantly.

"It seems as though you'll be just fine." Carlisle said eventually. Most of Bella's wounds had healed by this time and those that hadn't weren't life threatening.

She nodded, very tired all of a sudden. Suddenly all she wanted to do was curl up and sleep. She would have blamed Jasper, and she wouldn't put it past him to increase it, if she didn't know that this was the result of using too many abilities in too short a time with very little fuel. She yawned and fought to keep her eyes open.

Carlisle just finished packing up all his things when he noticed. He immediately went to pick her up and was surprised when she offered no resistance. Before he was even out the door of his study she was sound asleep, still in human form, and in the house.


End file.
